The Arizona Opera is celebrating its 45^th Anniversary this year: 45 years of performances that will include Dvorak’s ‘Rusalka’. Puccini’s ‘Madama Butterfly’, Rossini’s “Cinderella’  AND  the much anticipated world premiere of “Riders of the Purple Sage’. 

It’s also the first season of a new President and General Director, Joseph Specter who was most recently the General Director with the Austin Opera so warm temperatures are nothing new to him and his family.

Our Sterling Beeaff sat down with him to discuss Arizona Opera’s Sapphire Celebration and the special guest who’ll be there for two Phoenix performances next weekend, October 15^th and 16^th  in Symphony Hall.